He Shi
StarCarpesium abrotanoides L.
☯ TCM Properties
Expels Parasites; Resolves Accumulation; Alleviates abdominal pain due to parasites
Traditional Chinese Uses
He Shi (carpesium fruit, hemlock parsley fruit) is a warm herb used in Chinese medicine primarily to expel intestinal parasites — particularly roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms — while also promoting the downward movement of Qi through the digestive tract. Unlike harsh purgative antiparasitic herbs, it is relatively mild in its digestive action, and its Qi-descending effect also addresses food stagnation and digestive bloating.
Botanical Description
Carpesium abrotanoides L. (Asteraceae) is a perennial herb native to temperate East Asia (China, Japan, Korea) growing 50-100 cm tall, with branched erect stems, alternate ovate to lance-shaped leaves, and small drooping yellow-green disc-only flower heads (capitula) arranged in axillary clusters. After flowering it produces numerous small cylindrical achenes about 3-4 mm long, sticky-glandular and brown when mature. The medicinal He Shi is the dried mature fruit (achene), collected in autumn. The achenes contain sesquiterpene lactones (notably carabrone and carpesia lactone) responsible for the anthelmintic activity, along with volatile oil. In traditional Chinese medicine, He Shi is acrid, bitter, and neutral with slight toxicity, entering the spleen and stomach channels; it kills parasites, particularly roundworm, pinworm, hookworm, and tapeworm, and reduces childhood food accumulation, used most often in pediatric formulas for intestinal worms. Overdose may cause nausea, dizziness, or headache.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| poultice | As needed | Daily | — | — | — |
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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